PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Greater Philadelphia Film Office has named the winners of its 2026 Joan Bressler Set in Philadelphia Screenwriting Competition, recognizing four screenwriters whose projects were selected from 106 submissions nationwide.
The annual competition awards feature-length screenplays and original television pilots judged on writing quality and the projects’ potential to be produced in the Greater Philadelphia region. Finalists also receive feedback from industry judges and invitations to a September awards reception.
This year marked the first time the competition carried the name of Joan Bressler, a longtime GPFO executive who retired in August 2025 after more than three decades with the organization.
“We’re incredibly proud to support such a talented community of storytellers,” Nicole Shiner, GPFO co-executive director, said in a statement. “The level of submissions was truly impressive.”
The competition’s top honor for feature-length screenplay went to “Split,” written by Joe Mortimer. The screenplay follows a former Olympic sprinter grieving the loss of his son whose life changes after an attempted carjacking leads to an unexpected relationship with the alleged assailant. Mortimer will receive a $10,000 prize.
Charisse Corbin received both the Prime Time TV Pilot Prize, sponsored by Comcast/NBCUniversal, and the Oscar Micheaux Award for a Screenwriter of the African Diaspora for “Rutherford Academy.” The television pilot centers on a West Philadelphia teenager navigating an elite prep school after the death of his best friend. Corbin will receive a combined $7,500 award.
Diane Sismour won the Nina Lo Presti Award for a Female Screenwriter for “The Doll Keeper,” a psychological thriller set in Pennsylvania involving the disappearance of tween girls connected to a collectible doll series. The award includes a $1,500 prize.
Aaron Kim received the Content for Kids Award for “Mountain Sleds,” a family-focused screenplay about a teenager trying to save her family’s sledding business. Kim will receive a $5,000 prize.
Erin Wagner, GPFO co-executive director, stated the competition continues the legacy established by Bressler by supporting emerging writers while promoting the Philadelphia region as a production destination.
“The competition reflects the lasting legacy of Joan Bressler, whose more than three decades of leadership helped build a program that fosters writers and their stories, while highlighting the Greater Philadelphia area as a fantastic place to film,” Wagner said.
The judging panel included producers, writers and actors with Philadelphia ties, including Josh Cooke, Eric Neuhaus, Alexandra Drobac Diagne and Diane Walsh.
More information about the competition and the Greater Philadelphia Film Office is available at film.org
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